


Art in Unexpected Places

by merellia



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Art Criticism, Banter, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-26 06:34:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20925737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merellia/pseuds/merellia
Summary: Hilde liked painting and working in the scrapyard because both were about turning bits and pieces into something new and beautiful.





	Art in Unexpected Places

Hilde liked painting and working in the scrapyard because both were about turning bits and pieces into something new and beautiful. She told this to Duo one afternoon, taking in with amusement his serious expression, eyes unwavering as he gave her his attention. 

His eyebrows rose as he listened to her explanation. "That's kind of--out there--for you, Hilde. Kind of abstract, yeah?"

She grinned. "Duo, that's the point of a metaphor."

"And the point of an abstract!" he retorted, making her laugh.

"You better not call me 'spacey' next," she warned playfully.

He snorted, flipping a wrench around in his grip as he perched on the edge of the desk she sat behind. "No, I'm just going to ask you if you plan to start painting Taurus spares with roses and lilies."

"Oh!" She mock-scowled at him. "As if I would."

"They might increase the parts' value."

"They would not! Besides, I don't paint flowers. They're too representational."

"Listen to her!" Duo called out to the room around them, empty but for filing cabinets and the communications console. "Too representational, she says. Guess who's been teaching lessons at the Museum of Colonial Art!"

"Duo," she growled, and reached out to yank at the plastisheet diagram on which he sat.

"No, sir," Duo said, leaning more of his weight on the sheet as he continued to address the room. "Ms. Schbeiker specializes in the amorphous. If you look at--this series--" His voice got jerky as she kept tugging at the sheet-- "She calls it Peace Studies--notice the anger in--these undulations--of--red--"

He cocked a teasing glance at her as she stopped pulling, staring at him open-mouthed. "You saw them?"

Duo crossed his arms and gave her a haughty look. "Of course I did!"

"But they were in the gallery ages ago. You were barely back from the Eve War."

Duo pulled a sad face. "I was crushed, too. I kept looking for 'Dashing Mechanic of Genius Unparalleled' but I couldn't find it."

She choked on a laugh. "Oh, that one. It was titled 'Immovable Irritations of Life.'"

"Hey!"

"I'm thinking I'll turn it into my next series. The next will be called, 'The Inward Life of the Surprised Mechanic at His Moment of Death.'"

"Life and death together in the same work. Very deep. I predict it will sell well, Ms. Schbeiker. Are you sure you don't want to paint Taurus parts?"

She frowned repressively at him. "No. And if you keep suggesting that, I'll fire you."

Duo sighed as if deeply disappointed. "Oh, well. But--ah!" He raised his wrench as if an idea had just occurred to him. "Maybe I should tell Henri. You might paint something for him, if he asked, wouldn't you? And I have this great piece of Taurus chest-plate just crying out for some beautification. . . ."

"No. Besides, I already painted something for him." Hilde smiled, pleased at the thought. 

"You did! What? Why haven't I seen it?" Duo asked.

"Well," she demurred. "It was a bit . . . representational."

Duo looked skeptical as he set the wrench aside. "I thought you didn't do that."

She said in a sly tone, "Sometimes the inspiration moves me." Hilde leaned back in her chair, enjoying a flutter of triumph as she watched Duo's suspicion grow in the look on his face.

He opened his mouth and then hesitated, clearly reluctant to ask.

She relented. Unable to hold back a grin, she said, "I call it--'Cock of the Walk.'"

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the gw500 Women of Summer challenge on Livejournal, July 14 2009.


End file.
